The Red Bull landslide: what will change in 2025?
Red Bull walked away from the 2024 F1 season with another title in hand as Max Verstappen saw off the competition to take his fourth championship.
The Milton Keynes-based squad did not manage to claim another constructors’ title, however, as the achievement went the way of McLaren while Red Bull slipped to third place after its dominant 2023 campaign.
Although the season can be marked as successful with the title in hand, it was a campaign of unrest for Red Bull.
Various key exits were announced over the last several months and even more were threatened in the early part of the season.
After team principal Christian Horner was accused of inappropriate behaviour by a Red Bull employee, his position appeared to be in danger before he was cleared at the conclusion of an investigation.
There were also suggestions that Helmut Marko could face the exit door and even persistent rumours that Mercedes was looking to poach Verstappen from the team.
While those key figures will stay on, other exits have since been declared – so what will change at Red Bull in 2025?
Adrian Newey
The departure of Adrian Newey naturally sticks out at the top of the list of key exits. The renowned designer decided in Japan to close his Red Bull chapter.
For a long time, it was uncertain whether Newey would embark on a new F1 adventure, however, the Briton then revealed his blockbuster move to Aston Martin.
It eliminates one of the key people behind Red Bull’s success. Pierre Waché was already Red Bull’s technical director, but now fulfils an even larger role within the team.
The Frenchman took over Newey’s spot at the pit wall and is the brains behind next year’s RB21.
Jonathan Wheatley
It was announced in the summer that sporting director Jonathan Wheatley was to leave Red Bull.
Wheatley was the face behind Verstappen’s FIA visits and is also seen as the man who greatly improved Red Bull’s pit stops. He will become the new team boss of Stake F1/Audi, which leaves a hole at Red Bull.
The team has decided to solve the departure internally. Among others, Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s engineer, will be promoted to Head of Racing, while also continuing in his current role.
Also moving upward is Stephen Knowles (Head of Sporting Regulations), Richard Wolverson (Head of Racing Operations) and Gerrard O’Reilly (Head of Race Team Support & Logistics).
Will Courtenay
Will Courtenay is another key Red Bull figure who announced his departure in 2024.
He held the role of chief strategist and is moving to McLaren after a period of gardening leave. It is a sensitive loss for Red Bull, although it also provides opportunities for other engineers.
In this case, for example, for Hannah Schmitz. She was the chief engineer of strategy and is now taking the next step within the team, Marko revealed.
Choices made by Schmitz played a major role in Verstappen’s successes, with the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix being a prime example.
Schmitz, among others, made the decisions around the timing of crucial pit stops, after which Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton and drove to victory.
Sergio Perez
Perhaps the most obvious change in the public eye will be that of the driver line-up.
Red Bull has parted ways with Sergio Perez after four years together, with Perez’s recent results making for poor reading.
Horner has asserted that Perez will still be involved with the Red Bull brand in some capacity, but the Mexican will no longer race for the team and exits as Verstappen’s longest-serving team-mate.
Perez’s departure has opened the door for Liam Lawson who has joined the front-running squad alongside Verstappen.
